Conduit fitting



Aug. 24, 1943. A. L. PARKER CONDUIT FITTING Filed Dec. 14, 1940 MPGZZ:

Patented Aug. 24, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONDUIT FITTING IArthur L. f'arker, Cleveland,- Ohio Appliciation December 14, 1940,Serial No. 370,214 1 Claim. (o1. 135-47) The present invention relatesto new and useful improvements in a conduit fitting, and moreparticularly to improvements in a coupling or connector for joiningtubes, pipes, hose or other fluid conduits.

In constructing fluid distributing systems or in connecting extensionsto fluid systems, it is often necessary to connect conduits which aredisposed at an angle relative to one another. Rather than attempt tobend the conduits and connect them with a simple form of coupling, it iscustomary to employ an angle fitting having angularly disposed conduitadapters which may be shifted relative to one another so that the fluidconduits can be conveniently coupled together. However, with suchfittings, it has been found that the flow characteristics of the fluidthrough the fitting may be seriously altered to such an extent that thefree flow of fluid therethrough is materially impaired with the result Ythat there is a considerable pressure drop.

- so as to maintain a substantially free and smooth flow of fluidregardless of the direction in which the fluid passes through thefitting.

The invention stillfurther aims to provide a conduit fitting of theabove type which is relatively simple in construction and which may beassembled in such a manner that strains thereon are substantiallyreduced.

The above and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious andwill be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the fitting but showing theclosing plug or cap in elevation.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring more in detail to the accompanymg drawing, the fitting isillustrated as being attached to a boss I I which is internallythreaded, as at l2. The boss ll may form a part of a fluid conduit or atank, reservoir or the like. The fitting includes a body portion orcasing l3 which is provided with an internal chamber l4 open at bothends and with one or more conduit adapters IS. The side adapter I5 isprovided with a longitudinal bore l6 which is in communication with thechamber l4 and the adapter may be externally threaded, as at H, so as tofacilitate the securing thereof to a tube or pipe line. Below the sideconduit or adapter I5, the body portion is shaped to provide an inwardlyextending transverse shoulder l8 and a depending external shoulderportion IS. The upper end of the body portion I3 above the side conduitis provided with an internal threaded portion 20 to receive the externalthreads 2| on a closing plug 22.

In assembling the fitting, a bolt 23 in the form of a coupling sleeve isinserted within the chamber H before the plug 22 is applied. Thecoupling sleeve or bolt 23 is provided with a longitudinal bore 24 andwith an externally threaded portion 25 which is adapted to engage thethreads I 2 on the boss ii. The upper edge of the bolt 23 is providedwith an outwardly extending transverse shoulder 26 which is adapted tocooperate with the shoulder IB on-the body portion [3. The shoulder 23is counter-sunk, as at 21, and is shaped to provide an internalhexagonal surface into which a suitable tool may be inserted. A washer28 is disposed between the end of the boss H and the depending shoulderIS on the body portion so as to provide a fluid tight seal when theparts are tightened relative to one another.

After the bolt 23 becomes threadedly engaged with the boss II but beforetightening thereof, the entire body portion l3 may be rotated around thelongitudinal axis of the bolt and the conduit [0 so as to properlyposition the adapter l5 for engagement with a tube or pipe line. Whenproperly positioned, the bolt 23 is tightened so as to securely clampthe body portion or housing l3 relative to the conduit in and in thisconnection, it will be noted that the only strain incident to tighteningof the fitting relative to the conduit I0 is eifected between theshoulders I 9, 26. After the fitting has been thus positioned, theclosing plug or cap 22 may be applied so as to close the upper end ofthe housing l3. For this purpose, the cap 22 is also provided with arecessed hexagonal portion 29 by means of which it may be tightened by asuitable form of tool. A washer 30 is disposed between the inner surfaceof the plug 22 and the upper end of the housing l3 so as to provide afluid tight seal.

The inner end of the cap 22 is shaped to provide a substantiallyconiform projection 3| having the apex end 32 thereof extending toward22 and as substantially coinciding with the longitudinal center axis ofthe passage 24 through the sleeve 23. The projection 3| extends awayfrom the threaded part of the plug 22 with the center axis thereoffollowing a diameter of the passage IE but terminating short of theopposite end thereof. Thus, the end 32 of the projection is spacedinwardly of the casing from the end of the passage i6 and is disposedsubstantially centrally of the passage l6 although extending slightlybeyond the central axis thereof toward the sleeve. The surface of theprojection 3| is uniformly and gradually curved to provide a peripheralconcave surface the base of which originates substantially at the end ofthe threaded portion 2| on the plug 22, The end of the plug 22 issubstantially in line with the adjacent wall of the passage Hi. It willbe seen, therefore, that the end portion of the projection 3| covers anarea where the central axes of the fluid passages i6, 24 intersectwithin the chamber it so that the projection is disposed in the path offluid which passes through the chamber |4 between the fluid passages. Insome instances, it may be desirable to provide a straightthrough passagefor at least a portion of the fluid and in this case, the plug 22 can beomitted and replaced by an additional conduit.

In the usual angle fittings of this type, the free flow o'f fluidthrough the casing is impaired so that a considerable pressure dropoften results. the conduit through the passage 24 and outwardly throughthe passage Hi, there is a tendency for the main stream of fluid to flowdirectly against the cap or other surface which is opposed to thepassage 24 and this results in a reversal of flow of this part of thefluid. This reversing of the fluid causes it to be directed back intothe path of the incomingfluid so that the fluid is violently agitatedand scattered in all directions. This action of the fluid reduces thesmooth and free flow of fluid through the fitting and often results inan undesirable pressure drop. Substantially the same conditions existwhen the fluid enters the casing through the passage IB and is deliveredthrough the conduit ||l. However, according to the present invention,the disposition of the projection 3| is such that it will improve theflow characteristics of the fluid through the fitting. Where the fluidenters through the passage 24, a large portion of the fluid will bediverted by the curved surface of the projection 3| and directly intothe passage l6 although a portion of the fluid will be directed towardthe side wall of the casing. However, the portion of the fluid which isdirected against the side wall of the casing will in turn be directedback toward the center thereof and in the direction of the fluid passingoutwardly through the passage l6 so that there is a tendency for thisfluid to flow along with In such fittings, when fluid passes from themain stream which has been diverted directly into the passage Hi. Inthis manner, all of the fluid is caused to flow in the proper direction,that is, outwardly through the passage l6 and this results in asubstantially free flow of fluid through the fitting so as to preventany substantial pressure drop. When the passage of fluid through thefitting is reversed with the fluid entering through the passage l6 andbeing discharged through the conduit III, a large portion of the fluidstriking the adjacent curved surface of the projection 3| will bediverted directly into the passage 24, A part of the fluid will, ofcourse, be directed against the side wall of the casing and this in turnwill be directed back against other parts of the projection 3| so thatthis fluid will also be directed toward the passage 24.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the presentinvention provided an angle fitting for joining fluid conduits where itis necessary to change the direction of flow of the fluid and thisfitting is constructed and arranged so as to substantially maintain thefree and smooth flow of fluid through the fitting in order to preventany substantial pressure drop which is often caused by constantbacking-up of fluid in the casing. The base of the projected portion 3|merges into the end of the threaded part 2| of the plug 22 entirelyaround the same so that the plug 22 does not have to assume anypredetermined set position. Thus, a concave surface is always disposedin the path of fluid re-- gardless of the direction of flow of the fluidthrough the fitting.

While one form of the invention has been shown for purposes-ofillustration, it is to be clearly understood that minor changes in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaim.

I claim:

A fitting for fluid conduits comprising a body portion having acylindrical chamber open at its ends and a radial extension providedwith a port connected to the chamber, said body portion having aninwardly extending shoulder adjacent one end, a sleeve fitted withinsaid chamber and engaging said shoulder and projecting beyond the endand having threaded connection with the fluid conduit, a gasket betweenthe end of said body portion and the fluid conduit, said sleeve beingadapted to secure said body portion in a selected flxed position on saidconduit, a plug having a threaded connection with the opposite end ofsaid body portion for closing the upper end of the chamber, said plugextending into the chamber to a point adjacent the port in the radialextension and having a substantially coniform projection curved so as todirect fluid from the conduit into the radial port, the inner wall ofsaid sleeve at the upper end thereof being curved to conform to thecurvature of the opposing surface of the plug.

ARTHUR L. PARKER.

